A Perilous Journey Worth Embarking On, or Paths Best Left Untravelled?

The realm of indie game development frequently gifts us with unique experiences, often blending genres and mechanics in unexpected ways. One Way Home presents itself as a psychological horror adventure with a narrative twist, promising a challenging journey across procedurally generated lands as players strive to return to their fallen world. But does this blend of permadeath and storytelling create a compelling experience, or does the long road home become a tedious trudge?

A Fallen World’s Plea

The demo for One Way Home casts players as survivors from a world ravaged by a cataclysm. The core gameplay loop revolves around traversing a series of distinct biomes – each procedurally generated and teeming with hostile creatures – resource gathering opportunities, and enigmatic encounters. The narrative unfolds through interactions with strange inhabitants, discovery of lore fragments, and the overarching goal of finding a way back to the player’s decimated home.

While the concept of a story-driven psychological horror is intriguing, the execution sometimes feels at odds with the genre’s inherent repetition. The narrative breadcrumbs – depicted by interactive street art – while present, can feel sparse amidst the constant cycle of exploration, stealth puzzle-solving, and (seemingly inevitable) death. When interacting with street art, the pictures literally come to life, becoming animated in their painted forms, often depicting a new perspective of the original picture once the animation is complete. However, it does feel as if there could be more to uncover, and perhaps the full release will provide us with some filler for the somewhat slim (yet interesting) narrative.

There is a lot that your character – twelve-year-old Jimmy – must do in order to progress through the world and find out what exactly has happened. These include having to face several monsters, carrying heavy objects, jumping over fire, and deciding which path to choose at certain points.

Light and dark also play a huge role in One Way Home, with darkness equating to safety. Conversely, any time Jimmy finds himself in a well-lit area, he is in immediate and immense danger. As such, sticking to the shadows is best for the majority of the demo!

There are also several puzzles that you will have to solve in order to progress beyond several points throughout the demo. For example, real life dangers such as falling from heights are just as likely to kill your character as fictitious dangers, such as being attacked by malevolent spirits. These puzzles are fun, generally requiring some real thought, and are unlikely to be solved by simply clicking randomly and hoping for the best.

Navigating Perilous Lands

Players observe a 2D world via a fixed camera, populated with 3D characters and environments. Interestingly, additional dimensions have been added to this semi-side-scrolling world at certain points which allow you to traverse either towards or away from the camera, taking you on a literal new path altogether.

A notable feature is the branching narrative paths and choices presented as you progress through the sad, and lonely world, which can lead to different outcomes and alter your journey. These feel natural; as often is the case in real life, we aren’t always told which way to go, but rather have to make decisions on our own and hope for the best. The same applies here. There is no right or wrong answer – only “your” answer. As such, the outcomes will alter depending on your selection, which makes for a more enjoyable experience as you essentially get to craft your own story.

Grim Wastelands and Eerie Sounds

The graphics of One Way Home are truly beautiful, with impressively grim visuals (but in the best possible way). Jimmy has to navigate environments that are so derelict and creepy that no adult, much less a child alone, would dare enter!

The sound design contributes to the overall mood really well, with eerie ambient tracks and impactful sound effects for environmental interactions. For example, some enemies are drawn to light, and the moment you activate a TV set, the explosion of sound and light in the otherwise silent and dark work is a mild (yet exciting) shock to you as the player, because it immediately draws you into the action.

An Endless Cycle of Hope and Despair

One Way Home has a decent amount of replay value, with several options available at numerous points in the game. As such, each choice you make means that there are usually at least two that you did not make. Each subsequent branching choice usually leaves yet another two unchosen options. As such, the further you progress, the more possible combinations you are missing out on (in that particular run). This means that if you want to experience the game differently, then you can easily achieve that by going back and starting the game once again, albeit from a different perspective each time around.

Conclusion

One Way Home is a beautiful atmospheric horror experience, which will likely leave you wanting more. The good news is that with its branching story paths, you get to experience it all over again, but in a new and different way to previous runs each time you play. The focus on using stealth to solve puzzles in order to progress, however, means that those looking for a battle might find things a little tedious after a short time. However, with fantastic art and sound design and an interesting story, the demo of One Way Home has plenty of potential, offering a fun and exciting experience for all who dare to navigate the nightmarish world!

Grade: 7.5/10